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Education & Arts Blogs
Beware the aftershocks of the youthquake – it’s a bit more complicated than that
John Blake — Policy Exchange’s Head of Education and Social Reform — enters the ongoing discussion about the ‘ever-vexed’ topic of university access. He argues that, regardless of the rising number of young people going on to higher education, ‘an 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background, indeed from any background, should face a choice beyond either a university place they may not really want (even on the generous loan terms we have) and nothing’.
Thing to cut before the school curriculum: Call for Evidence
School budgets are now a matter of urgent concern — but in seeking savings, are schools making the best choices? Are school and system leaders thinking radically enough about how their organisations can change to meet the core needs of children in education? John Blake and Mark Lehain of Policy Exchange’s Education Unit — former teachers with two decades of front-line experience between them — offer suggestions, and seek the views of parents, teachers, governors, and other interested parties.
‘Free schools should be valued – they are changing education for the better’
Responding to comments by former Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, John Blake — Policy Exchange’s Head of Education and Social Reform — discusses the intention and impact of the free school programme. In an article published by the TES, he argues that ‘seeking innovative practice was not an afterthought, but a core aspect of the programme, and one that has yielded enormous dividends for not just those children attending the new free schools, but the whole system’.
The real questions behind Vice Chancellors’ pay
Rebecca Lowe Coulson — Policy Exchange’s State and Society Research Fellow — reflects on the way in which the escalating rate of VC pay seems neatly emblematic of the pressing questions the Higher Education sector is facing. Policy Exchange is currently undertaking work on this topic, with a report due out in the autumn to coincide with the start of the new academic year.
Trojan Horse: ‘If anyone is still in any doubt that the practices uncovered were inappropriate, just listen to the pupils’
Hannah Stuart (Co-Head of Policy Exchange’s Security and Extremism Unit) and John Blake (Head of Education and Social Reform) look at the latest developments on the Trojan Horse affair.
“Jeremy’s Marvellous Medicine” – the accidental Third Way in Labour’s manifesto
John Blake — Policy Exchange’s Head of Education and Social Reform, a self-proclaimed Corbynsceptic – considers the remarkable success of Jeremy Corbyn in the 2017 general election, exploring the ingredients which made up Jeremy’s “marvellous medicine”.
Policy Exchange’s John Blake comments on Labour’s education proposals, in the TES
In a new piece for TES, John Blake — Policy Exchange’s Head of Education and Social Reform — says Labour’s roadmap towards a National Education Service needs more landmarks than its slightly ambiguous manifesto provides
The future of school leadership and the role of non teachers – what does the NHS teach us?
Jonathan Simons — Policy Exchange’s Head of Education — looks at the background of high-performing NHS Chief Executives to consider what role non-teachers can play in school leadership
Smart Power: How to build a smarter, more flexible power system
Richard Howard, Policy Exchange’s Head of Environment and Energy, previews this year’s conference events on the topic of “smart power”.
Theresa May’s first speech as prime minister: the ‘life chances’ challenge
Rebecca Lowe Coulson examines Theresa May’s first speech as prime minister and its ‘‘life chances agenda’.
